Ice-T announces SiriusXM Backspin Presents The Art of Rap Festival 2016 / .@artofrapfest

Ice-T announces SiriusXM Backspin Presents The Art of Rap Festival 2016

Ice-T and Mickey Bentson today announced “SiriusXM Backspin Presents The Art of Rap Festival,” a nationwide tour featuring an impressive lineup of legendary rappers and hip-hop artists kicking off on Saturday, July 16, 2016 with its first concert taking place in Dallas, Texas.

SiriusXM Backspin Presents The Art of Rap Festival follows Ice-T's critically acclaimed 2012 documentary Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap and the festival which played to massive crowds in Orange County, California and the Bay Area. Backspin is SiriusXM’s channel playing classic hip-hop from the 80s and 90s.

True to the documentary and the 2015 festival, this year’s lineup is impressive and scheduled to include performances by Public Enemy, Ice-T, Naughty by Nature, Mobb Deep, Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio, EPMD, The Sugarhill Gang and Kurtis Blow and hosted by Chiefrocker Busy Bee, among others.

“‘SiriusXM Backspin Presents The Art of Rap Festival’ gives SiriusXM an opportunity to celebrate hip-hop music with events featuring some of its most influential powerhouse artists,” said Ross Zapin, Senior Vice President, Promotions, Event Marketing and Talent Relations, SiriusXM. “We are thrilled to present this tour to hip-hop fans everywhere and SiriusXM listeners across the country.  ‘The Art of Rap Festival’ is going to be one to remember.”

“Hip-hop is the most powerful and influential cultural movement since rock and roll.  A true art form that deserves respect,” said Ice T.

“Hip-hop is crucial to many people’s lives and “The Art of Rap” is the true game of Hip-hop! ” said Mickey Bentson of Pay Up Management

SiriusXM listeners will have the chance to purchase tickets to SiriusXM Backspin Presents The Art of Rap Festival before they go on sale to the general public. The SiriusXM Presale will start on Thursday, May 12 at 10:00 am local time and end Thursday, May, 12 at 10:00 pm local time. For more information, please visit www.siriusxm.com/artofrappresale.

Beginning May 13 at 4:00 pm ET, SiriusXM subscribers since April 28 can enter for the chance to win a trip to New York, including round-trip airfare, two nights’ hotel stay, a pair of VIP tickets to the SiriusXM Backspin Presents The Art of Rap Festival on July 29 at Coney Island Amphitheater, and the opportunity to meet select artists. See Official Rules for complete details which will be at www.siriusxm.com/TheArtofRap.

2016 TOUR DATES

JULY 16                               GEXA PAVILION                                                             DALLAS, TX

JULY 17                               AUSTIN 360 AMPHITHEATER                                   AUSTIN, TX

JULY 22                               PALLADIUM                                                                      HOLLYWOOD, CA

JULY 23                               DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS                                            LAS VEGAS, NV

JULY 29                               CONEY ISLAND AMPHITHEATER                           BROOKLYN, NY

JULY 31                               AARON’S AMPHITHEATRE AT LAKEWOOD  ATLANTA, GA

AUGUST 5                           HOLLYWOOD CASINO AMPHITHEATRE            CHICAGO, IL

AUGUST 6                           FREEDOM HILL AMPHITHEATRE                         DETROIT, MI

*LINEUPS VARY BY CITY, CHECK WWW.ARTOFRAPFEST.COM FOR ALL INFORMATION

The Art of Rap Festival is the brainchild of Ice-T and Mickey Bentson (hip hop entrepreneurs) and produced by Mickey Bentson and Synergy Global Entertainment.

 For more information, please visit www.artofrapfest.com and www.siriusxm.com/TheArtofRap